Mecha games with RPG undertones somehow end up being pretty sweet games. Atlus' Space Griffon was a sweet first-generation PlayStation sleeper, and two years ago, Game Informer voted Square's Xenogears as 1998's best RPG. From the foggy armageddon comes another Square title, Front Mission 3, ready to be the first in the series to swim the great blue yonder to the US.

FM3 has quite the detailed storyline, considering it's about a bunch of walking robots with guns. The main character is a test pilot for a company called Kirishima Industries. He demonstrates a new mecha (called wanzers in the game) for JDF, the Japanese military. It's more powerful than any before it, and strangely offensive-minded for such a neutral superpower as Japan. Could they be planning some sort of war?

Traveling to the Yokosuka military base with his boss Koike and friend Ryogo, the protagonist just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A huge explosion rocks the facility as the crew is unloading wanzers. All of a sudden, the defense system self-activates, endangering all personnel in sight. Taking evasive action our hero and Ryoga, who just happened to be piloting wanzers at the time, shoot down the auto piloted cannons. Could there be more to this explosion than pure accident?

Recovering from the melee, the main character reads an email from his foxy step-sister Alisa, talking about how she's been transferred to the base. Uh oh. Could she have been hurt (or worse) by the explosion? Might she be buried up to her earlobes in rubble, screaming for salvation? Would she kiss the main character, even though they're related by marriage? You head out to find out, and uncover those other conspiratorial questions posed, too.

Front Mission 3 is more RPG than anything else, but doesn't necessary color between the lines. The combat is very strategic, as the playfield is large, and you must decide between ranged attacks and nose-to-nose battles. Each body part has its own hit points, so machines can be stripped of arms or legs, and still keep shooting. If the inspiration moves you, there's also an option to eject the wanzer and fight on as an unprotected little flea, against the massive mecha. Counters occur often, and you can usually choose how/when to execute them.

There is much graphical goodness to grasp in FM3. The mecha look delectably detailed, especially when you blow their arms off. Environments are a bit pixelated, which is forgiven since they're rotating. CGI scenes are par for the course for Square. The large amount of overworld maps are some of the best we've ever seen. Each one looks great.

One of the wild concepts tossed in Front Mission 3 is the internet interface. You can send and receive email, which has been done a few times before, but you can also browse a ton of sites, and pick up new links from coworkers, and even drunks at a bar! It's a clever way to store information.

Many times, the game takes on the appearance of a graphic adventure, in the vein of Snatcher and others. You can choose who to converse with, and they usually say different things each time. At times, you can pick whether to go somewhere with somebody, or what your next course of action will be. Why, there's even a tramp at a bar who tries to solicit you! If anything gets a game bonus points, that's it right there.

Once again, Square comes out with an addictive, deep, original RPG-esque title for the PlayStation. Front Mission 3 appears to have all the tools to become a highly successful game, stateside. The only unfortunate thing is that American gamers missed the first two parts in the trilogy.

All pics are from  www.RPGamer.com